Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

Tá an-éigeart ag baint le seo agus tá a fhios sin ag an Taoiseach mar is fear maith é i dtaobh rudaí mar seo. Táimid ag fanacht ach níl muidne tábhachtach ar chor ar bith. Tá saoránaigh eile ag fanacht fós.

Seventeen years is too long, given the all-party support for a commission of inquiry. There is no reason whatsoever this cannot proceed immediately. There are sexual abusers in all sectors of our society. There are sexual abusers in families. My father was a sexual abuser, and I have some sense of the anguish and the pain of these citizens. I meet them regularly and I know every time they meet, it is a revisiting of all that happened to them.

It was good enough for Fine Gael and the Labour Party to support a commission of inquiry when in opposition. There is no reason it cannot be established on terms acceptable to the victims and the survivors. I ask the Taoiseach to give a clear commitment on such a commission of inquiry. When in opposition the current Minister of Health put down a motion on this and it was defeated by only two votes. There is no reason, in my opinion, it cannot proceed. Until then, there is no reason Dignity For Patients cannot receive appropriate funding. Dignity for Patients has been advocating for this group for the past 17 years. This would never have come to light only for a brave woman who blew the whistle and highlighted what had occurred. Dignify For Patients, which is advocating for these citizens, is not even being properly funded by the Government.

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